Serge Ibaka's Toronto Return Spoiled by COVD Restrictions & the Raptors' Big three

The Toronto Raptors found just enough energy to pull off a come-from-behind victory to spoil Serge Ibaka's return to Canada

Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

The public address announcer's voice blared out from the always a-little-too-loud Scotiabank Arena speakers. It was supposed to be a moment to honor Serge Ibaka. It was supposed to be a moment for Toronto Raptors fans to give thanks to Ibaka as he returned to Toronto for the first time as a member of the Los Angeles Clippers.

"Please direct your attention to the video board," said Herbie Kuhn, the Raptors' public address announcer, as a video tribute to Ibaka began.

But who was he talking to?

Ma Fuzzy Man, Original Man, straight from the Motherland, 100% pure, Mr. Avec Classe, @sergeibaka

Forever Family. #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/XbafTiQ3Nb

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 1, 2022

Scotiabank Arena sat almost completely empty Friday night. The Ontario government's new COVID-19 restrictions forced Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment to prohibit fans from entering the arena. There were no fans there to honor Ibaka, no fans to applaud his four seasons with the Raptors, nobody to pay their respects. Instead, Ibaka sat on the Clippers bench rubbing his knees as the video played, not even looking up at the jumbotron.

It's been three straight years of nonsense for the Raptors. Their 2019-20 season was derailed by the pandemic and the Orlando Bubble. Their 2020-21 season was spent in Tampa, the only NBA team forced to relocate for the season. Now, they're again the only team playing in front of empty arenas, forced to deal with Canada's more stringent COVID-19 restrictions.

"That was more normal than not, to be honest with you," said Fred VanVleet. "We've probably played just as much if not more fanless basketball than we have packed stadiums."

"[You] get disappointed when you hear the news come out, probably all wish it wasn’t this way, but it is and you just gotta get on with it," Raptors coach Nick Nurse said pre-game. 

So that's what the Raptors did Friday night, they got on with it. Despite having no one to turn to for energy and legs waining late, Toronto found a way to claw out a 116-108 victory to inch just two games below .500.

It came down to a simple formula for Toronto: work Pascal Siakam and VanVleet in a two-man game and find the mismatch. Siakam and VanVleet ran pick-and-rolls over and over again down the stretch. In the fourth quarter alone, Siakam racked up nine of his 25 points, all either at the rim or from the charity stripe.

"We've got [Siakam] involved as the setter in a lot of screening rolls. He’s getting the ball back on the move towards, you know, on the roll," Nurse said. "And tonight they were switching everything so we could go to him but he mixed it up good."

When the Clippers adjusted to Siakam burning them inside, VanVleet took it himself, driving past Marcus Morris to put Toronto up three.

Moments later, VanVleet sealed it. Siakam found VanVleet above the break and despite his struggles from behind the arc, the Raptors guard found the legs to swish the game-winner. He finished the 10-for-27 with a team-high 31 points.

"Just Jell-O legs. My timing was a little off, my release was a little slow, but it's part of the process," VanVleet said. "I was happy with the way we kept fighting." 

COVID Rust

Considering how undermanned the Clippers were, it wasn't a particularly impressive performance from Toronto, but it was the kind of game the Raptors knew they couldn't take for granted. They needed one game to work off the rust and this was certainly that night. Through three quarters, the Raptors shot 7-for-30 from behind the arc, usually hitting the front of the rim with those exhausted legs.

"Great shots, open, shots we want to take but it was almost a situation where it felt like ‘I’m not sure those are the right shots to take tonight’ just because we don’t have any legs," Nurse said.

Up Next: New York Knicks

R.J. Barrett and the New York Knicks will come to town to open the new year on Sunday night against the Raptors. New York has four players in COVID protocols including 2020-21 All-Star Julius Randle.